They have been together for years, more than anyone would think. They have had long nights, good nights, amazing nights, profitable nights, dog nights and nights that felt like it was all going nowhere But never a bad night, not together.

They met over a cheap but sacred thing in common – the odd desire to make a connection with certain spirits in the night that are stirred by rock, soul, country and the perfect phrase. Spirits of love and mystery, lust and loneliness, heartbreak and solace to name a few.

They’ve changed and stayed the same. It’s time together as currency, now built to a point where they can spend it night after night and only grow richer.

There’s new material added all the time, breathtaking and relevant and honest. Yet they will always play and honor those early years because that’s when believing didn’t have an obvious payoff. That’s when believing was a gamble.

Look at them now. It’s about still believing in and meaning something, everything, to each other. That’s the reason they can somehow stand amid all that equipment and in front of all those people and connect and come across like good news over a cold beer. It’s personal, to every soul in the room.

They are Bruce and Steve, who play here once every few years and just pulled off a stunning two-night stand in St. Paul.

They are also Ron and Billy. Kit and Dave. Betty and Ocho. They are Eli and Jason and Amy and Bix and Dave and Mary and Marv and Shane and Pete and April and Chuck and Colin and Laura and everybody else in the Free Press’ Thursday Entertainment sectionwho are out there and at it again because they, too, have found a reason to believe.